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Battersea power struggle
Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Affairs Editor18.12.08
PLANS to build a 300-metre glass tower next to Battersea Power Station have been scaled back after opposition from campaigners and heritage groups.
The tower formed the centrepiece of a £4billion scheme to restore and redevelop the derelict Grade II*-listed generator and the surrounding area.
However, the height of the tower and its impact on views of landmarks, such as the Palace of Westminster, was labelled "catastrophic" by opponents and the original plans have been scrapped.
The tower made up part of an "eco-dome" enclosing 2.5million sq ft of office space that would be naturally ventilated by air sucked in from outside, heating up and rising through the "chimney" of the tower. The natural air-conditioning will reduce the energy needs of the offices by up to two thirds.
Developers Treasury Holdings said they would trim 50 metres from the height of the tower from 300 to 250 metres, reduce its diameter from 32 to 25 metres and move it 100metres further away from the Giles Gilbert Scott-designed industrial landmark.
The eco-dome will be roughly halved in size with the amount of office space reduced to 1.25 million sq ft. This will make the power station more visible. Rob Tincknell, managing director of Treasury Holdings, today presented the revised plan to Mayor Boris Johnson and CABE, the Government's advisers on urban design.
He said: "We have taken on board the comments made to us and believe the new masterplan responds to every concern raised in the last six months.
"One of them was the height of the building, people felt it was just a bit too high. It popped up above a couple of buildings in Westminster but now it has no impact on four out of the five views in the London view management framework."
He added: "By reducing the size of the eco-dome we have reduced the need for such a high chimney. CABE wanted the tower closer to the river and we've moved it as close as possible."
The scheme also involves the construction of a privately funded 1.75 mile Tube extension to the power station at a cost of about £400million.
The power station itself would be turned into a retail and hotel complex. Added features under the new plan include a performance arena inside the power station, a huge ball room, a primary school and a medical centre.
But critics remained doubtful whether the changes had gone far enough.
Keith Garner, a member of the Battersea Power Station Community Group, said: "The odd 50 metres is neither here nor there. It will still be poking up above the Palace of Westminster."
But Mr Tincknell said that without the go-ahead the power station may be doomed.
He said it had three to five years before being beyond restoration and no other viable scheme was in sight.
Reader views (22)
The government is intending to build 10 new "eco-towns" in the countryside - a gimmick which will just hand green belt land to the developers. Why not build a real eco-town on this site? The power station itself should be demolished - it doesn't lend iself to conversion and it's very ugly. The towers are a familiar icon that we've grown fond of, but surely a good architect could design something which captured their spirit in a new building?
- Judy, Battersea
...great, let's vote down every forward looking proposal so that we can continue to watch the power station rot...maybe it will even fall down...that will make everyone happy won't it? I don't want a London that looks the same as it did 100 years ago. I want a London that demonstrates it's vitality and the future. Move to Wiltshire if you want to live in a museum...(apoligies to those living in Wiltshire..!).
- Andrew, London, UK
I think the tower is rather ugly, I hope they come up with a suitable alternative quickly while the money is still on the table, the last thing we need now is another project getting canned in London, and the Northern line extension to Wandsworth Road and Battersea would be fantastic.
- Dylan, London
It only takes one high rise building to ruin the architectural scale of a whole area. The proposed tower is out of scale and should be refused. High rise buildings are better in clusters rather than in isolation. The U.S. Embassy is moving to Battersea and will be a near neighbour of the Power Station. That will do much for the status of the area. While there is a need to work with the Developers and give reasonable assistance, there is no need to succumb to their threats that the scheme might not go ahead unless they get their way.
- Gerry, London
Lets get this site regenerated, I have lived in sight of this large wasted site since 1997. Various organisations have made money just by buying and selling the site, why waste any more time in getting the area between Wandsworth Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge regenerated.
The area bounded by Wandsworth Road, Nine Elms, Battersea Park Road and York Road can only be described as a slum and a slur on the capital city.
It is time for the planners of Lambeth and Wandsworth to wake up and ensure that this area is regenerated and recognise the resultant benefits. This area so close to the centre could be a vibrant area.
Thousands of people live in the area, and there are no decent recreation or shopping areas within walking distance, is this what our planners want for us. Do they want us to use our cars or public transport to do our shopping?
Our homes are drab and dismal, no shopping centres, no areas for recreation apart from Battersea Park.
What a waste.
- John O'Meara, London
I used to live in Battersea. It is tragic that proposal after proposal have failed to utilize the power station and surrounding land. The riverside between Battersea and Wandsworth bridges have seen a number of progressive developments in recent years. Why not the same for the Power Station. This area needs major regeneration and the prospect of a tube connection to this area of London (that could be eventually be extended to Clapham Junction) would be a huge benefit.
- Brianm, Stamford, CT, USA
London lost the legendary Wembley towers. let it not lose the beautiful art deco masterpiece by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott at Battersea. Surely some good come come of its shell.
- Jon, London
London lost the legendary Wembley towers. let it not lose the beautiful art deco masterpiece by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott at Battersea. Surely some good come come of its shell.
- Jon, London
London lost the legendary Wembley towers. let it not lose the beautiful art deco masterpiece by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott at Battersea. Surely some good come come of its shell.
- Jon, London
Does anybody have any reasonable proposal for the future of Battersea Power Station? If not,just get rid of it.
- Coling, Doha, Qatar
Justin Dubon - ho said that low-rise buildings have to be "mediocre and drab"? Big does not necessarily equal beautiful!
- Mcw, London
It must be time to rid the vista of the power station, it's been subject to many proposals even when the economy was in shape, it's just a white elephant and it's in our room.
If it as actually being used for something I wouldn't mind, but London deserves better than being turned into an architectural museum.
- Frank H., London.
The nimbys in Sydney objected to the Opera House during its planning stage saying it would blight the city.
I really can't think of a single reason NOT to build something in Battersea. It really doesn't have much going for it, does it?
Anything would be an improvement.
- George, London
Whatever the merits or otherwise of the new scheme, I do not understand why the supremely ugly Dead Pig known as the Battersea Power Station ever achieved listed status. It's now derelict, has a depressing facade which would be astonishingly expensive to maintain, and should be demolished so that it ceases to distort development in a part of London which much needs regeneration. Just because the wretched thing was designed by Giles Gilbert Scott should not give it sacrosanct status - it's outlived its usefulness and should go.
- Richard, London, London. UK
Yes H J Jones, and Millbank is horrid. One mistake does not justify another.
- Stephen, London
It's glass right? so it's see-through so there's no issue. I say build it - and I live nearby.
The area is a dismal backwater and, in my opinion, Battersea as a whole lags way behind the notable development of other London areas.
- Minos, Minos, Battersea
Surely the goings on in parliament these days are more catastrophic than building a new tower - even if it is labelled 'eco-bloody-friendly'?
- Mark Harrop, Horbury Junction, UK
The wholse scheme is rubbish. The Power Station is so blocked in as to pratically dissapear. It needs to breathe!
- Stephen, London
Why do people think that higher is better?
- Vivib, London, England
Seriously,Prince Charles followers.When Millbank Tower was built,even nearer to Parliament,no-one uttered a peep.The Battersea Tower will look the same height as Millbank.Protection of views indeed!
- H.J.Jones, London UK
I'd rather see a world class skyscraper than an odd assortment of mediocre and drab unimaginative low rises. London has too many of these already. Wouldn't it be great if heritage groups could loosen the shackles anchoring them to a vision of a London past, that is at odds with helping the skyline of our world class capital evolve on par with world class cities like HK and Manhattan?
- Justin Dubon, london, UK
Are the developers and architects attempting to win the award for the most ugly building in London? There is nothing good that can be said about this hideous scheme; it might be dressed up as being environmentally friendly but the truth is it is an example of sheer greed where as much development is being forced on Londoners as possible.
- Bethany Williams, London
